Powered can opener and knife sharpener



pl'll 26, 1955 E, 1 STRAUB ,E1-AL 2,706,852

POWERED CAN OPENER AND KNIFE SHARPENER Filed April 20, 1953 JWAQD l. .57PM/B,

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IN V EN TORS.

BY f4] rraEA/Ey.

United States Patent POWERED CAN OPENER AND KNIFE SHARPENER Edward L. Straub, Burbank, Randall Z. Eicher, Monterey Park, and John L. Vogel, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application April 20, 1953, Serial No. 349,786

Claims. (Cl. 30-4) driven by the motor and usually comprising a cutter l element and a motor driven can turning wheel acting to engage and act against the underside of the can rim. In using the device, the rim portion of a can is first positioned between the cutter and can turning wheel, following which the cutter and JWheel are shifted relatively toward each other to grip the can, and the wheel is then driylei to turn the can and cause the cutter to remove its i Certain features of the invention have to do with improvements in the manner of controlling the operation of a power driven can opener of the above character. In particular, we contemplate the provision of a control arrangement in which a single actuating element or handle is operable to control both the relative shifting of the cutter and can turning wheel, and the actuation of the wheel by the motor. Desirably, a single movement of the actuating element serves first to shift the cutter and wheel to cutting positions and then to start the can turning operation of the wheel. As will appear, the shifting of the cutter and wheel may be effected by a cam mechanism, while the wheel drive may be controlled by actuation of an electric switch connected into the energizing circuit of the drive motor.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a motor driven device which is capable of functioning selectively as either a can opener or knife Sharpener. For this purpose, we employ an arrangement in which a single motor acts to drive both a knife sharpening wheel and a can opening mechanism. Preferably, a speed reduction unit is connected into the drive from the motor to the can opening mechanism, so that the can opener is driven at a speed much slower than the knife Sharpener, as is desirable for most satisfactory operation of both. One drive arrangement which has proven highly effective and extremely simple includes a single drive shaft which directly carries the knife sharpening wheel, and which has a helically grooved portion serving as a worm for engaging and driving a worm gear connected to the can opening mechanism.

The device may include a housingcontaining the motor and knife Sharpener, and carrying the can opening mechanism at its outer side. We nd it desirable to provide a mounting bracket to which the housing is removably attachable, and in addition we may form on the'housing a handle for permitting use Aof the unit as a portable appliance. In preferred arrangement, the bracket may be attached to the housing by reception of a portion of the bracket in the handle portion of the device. This type of mounting may be employed where the bracket is to be attached to the underside of a horizontal support element, while a second type of connection of the bracket into the housing may be employed where the bracket is attached to a vertical support.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a combined can opening and knife sharpening device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

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Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the can opening portion of the device.

The can opener and knife Sharpener illustrated in the drawing includes a hollow housing 11, which is adapted to be removably attached to a mounting bracket 12. At one side, housing 11 carries can opening mechanism 13, which is driven by a motor 14 contained within the housing. The motor and can opening mechanism are controlled by a swinging arm or handle 15 carried at the side of the housing opposite that at which the can opening mechanism is mounted. At -its forward end, housing 11 has a cylindrical portion 16 containing a forwardly opening compartment or recess within which is mounted a motor driven abrasive grinding wheel or knife sharpening element 17. This forward cylindrical portion 16 of the housing has at its upper and lower sides two pairs of transverse slots 18 into which a knife blade 19 may be .inserted to be sharpened by engagement with one of the angular side faces 20 of the grinding wheel. The front of cylindrical portion 16 of the housing may be closed by a removable forward disc or wall 116.

Housing 11 may be formed as shown of a pair of sections, meeting at 21 and retained together by elongated bolts 23. The portion of the housing within which motor 14 is contained may be cylindrical and alined with the forward cylindrical portion 16 of the housing. Between these two cylindrical portions, the housing is of an increased height, to accommodate the later described can opener driving mechanism. Above the motor, housing 11 forms a handle 24, which comprises essentially an upwardly projecting handle loop, and by which a user may lift the entire unit when desired.

The mounting bracket 12 may typically be of the illustrated U-shaped configuration, and is adapted to be mounted by screws 25 to either a vertical wall surface 26 or a horizontally extending wall surface 27. When the bracket is mounted to a vertical wall surface, housing 11 is attached to the bracket by reception of the outer arm of the bracket within a downwardly opening elongated passage or recess 28 formed in the rear portion of the housing..` A pair of set screws 29 may then be tightened against the bracket arm to retain it .in the housing recess. When the bracket is attached to a horizontal surface 27, the housing is attached to it by reception of the bracket arm within a horizontally elongated rearwardly opening recess 30 formed in the upper portion of handle 24. The bracket and housing are retained together in this condition by a pair of set screws 31.

Motor 14 is electrically energized, and may be of any conventional type. The motor has been typically represented as including eld coils 32, a rotary armature 33, and a pair of brush units 34 connectable into opposite sides of the housing for engagement with the commutator portion of the armature. The armature includes a shaft 35, which is elongated forwardly of the motor, and is journalled within bearings 36, 37 and 38. The shaft may carry a fan 39 for creating a ow of cooling air through the motor. The grinding wheel 17 is removably received about the forward end of shaft 37, being retained and tightened against a shoulder 40 by a nut 41. An oil seal ring 42 may be provided at the forward end of forward bearing 38, for preventing the flow of lubricating oil forwardly along the shaft to the grinding wheel.

The can opening mechanism 13 -is of essentially conventional construction, including a rotary angularly disposed cutter Wheel 43 for engaging and circularly cutting the top wall of a can 44, .and a toothed drive wheel 45, which engages and acts against the underside of the upper rim 46 of the can. Cutter wheel 43 is vertically shiftable relative to drive wheel 45, between an upper open position in which a can may be moved into and out of the device, and a lower gripping and cutting position. When the cutter is in its lowered position, rotation of drive wheel 45 acts against the can rim in a manner effecting rotation of the can about a vertical axis, and thus causing cutter 43 to circularly cut and open the can top.

The can turning or drive wheel 45 is driven by motor 14 through a speed reducing mechanism, including a worm gear 47 engaging and driven by a portion 48 of shaft 35 which has been helically grooved to serve as a worm. Worm gear 47 is mounted to and drives a horizontal shaft 49, which is journalled within a bearing t) in the housing, and carries and drives the can turning wheel 45.

Cutter wheel 43 is rotatably carried by a vertically shiftable plate 51, which slidably engages the oute'r wall of the housing. Plate 51 contains a vertically extending slot 52 for passing shaft 49, this slot desirably having a horizontal dimension only slightly larger than the shaft, so that the shaft and slot act to guide the plate for its vertical shifting movement relative to the housing. Plate 51, in addition to carrying cutter 43, may carry the usual lugs 53, 54 and 55, for engaging a can beneath and at opposite sides of drive wheel 45, in a manner effectively positioning the can for the cutting operation.

The lower portion of plate 51 contains a circular opening 56, within which a circular shifting cam 57 is rotatably received. Cam 57 is mounted eccentrically to a rotary shaft 58 journalled in and extending transversely through the housing, so that rotation of the shaft acts through the eccentrically mounted cam to vertically shift plate 51 and its carried cutter. Shaft 58 is actuated by the previously mentioned swinging handle carried at the second side of the housing. Preferably, handle 15 extends horizontally rearwardly alongside housing 11 when plate 51 is in its uppermost can receiving position, and cam 57 is so mounted on shaft 58 that both upward and downward swinging movement of the handle from its horizontal position acts to shift plate 51 and cutter 43 downwardly to cutting position. For best operation, it is found desirable that approximately 90 swinging movement of handle 15 is suilicient to shift the cutter element between completely released and active positions. Plate 51 is retained against the side of the housing by means of an enlarged diameter circular retaining flange 59 formed on cam 57.

The operation of motor 14 is controlled by a switch 60 contained within housing 11 and connected into the energizing circuit of the motor. Switch 60 is opened and closed by axial movement of its actuating element 61, which is engaged and actuated by a rotary cam 62 carried by shaft 58. The switch is open when handle 15 is in its horizontally extending position, and cutter element 43 is thus in its upwardly retracted or open position. The switch is closed by rotation of shaft 58 and cam 62 in either of the two cutter closing directions from this initial position. Preferably, cam 62 acts to close the motor energizing circuit just as cutter 43 reaches its predetermined cutting position.

In placing the illustrated device in use, bracket 12 is first mounted to either a vertical or horizontal supporting surface, whichever may be more convenient. Housing 11 is then attached to the bracket by reception of the outer bracket arm within recess 28 or 30 and tightening of the set screws 29 or 31. If it is desired to sharpen a knife, handle 15 is swung from its rearwardly projecting off position to either an upwardly projecting or downwardly projecting on position, to energize motor 14 and thus commence rotation of grinding wheel 17. While the grinding wheel is turning, a knife is inserted into one of the housing slots 18 to be engaged and sharpened by the grinding wheel.

When it is desired to open a can, handle 15 is actuated to its horizontally and rearwardly projecting olf position, in which the rim 46 of a can may be inserted into position between the cutter 43 and can turning wheel 45. Handle 15 is then swung downwardly or upwardly through approximately to shift cutter 43 downwardly to its active cutting position. The inal portion of this downward shifting movement of cutter 43 acts to close switch 60 through cam 62, to thus energize the motor for driving wheel 45, in a manner effecting rotation of the can and causing cutter 43 to open its lid. After the can has been turned through a complete revolution, handle 15 is swung back to its horizontally extending off position, to deenergize the motor and shift cutter 43 upwardly to a condition releasing the can for removal from the device.

We claim:

1. A can opening device comprising a housing, a motor in said housing, can opening mechanism carried by said housing and driven by said motor and forming essentially a loop adapted to be gripped by a user, a handle on said housing for lifting it, a mounting bracket attachable to a support, and a projection in said bracket .t

insertible into and shaped essentially in correspondence with a recess formed in the material of said handle to removably mount said housing to the bracket.

2. A can opening device as recited in claim 1, in which said handle loop extends upwardly at the upper side of said housing and has an upper generally horizontal portion into which said projection and recess extend generally horizontally.

3. A can opening device as recited in claim 2, in which said housing contains a second recess into which said projection is insertable shaped essentially in correspondence therewith and extending in a different direction than said recess in the handle.

4. A can opening device comprising a housing, a motor in said housing, can opening mechanism carried by said housing and driven by said motor, a handle on said housing for lifting it and forming essentially a loop at the upper side of said housing, a mounting bracket attachable to a support, said bracket having a projection insertible into a mounting recess in said handle to removably mount said housing to the bracket, said housing containing a second mounting recess into which said projection is insertible and extending in a diiferent direction than said recess in the handle, and means for releasably retaining said projection in said first mentioned recess.

5. A can opening device comprising a housing, a motor in said housing, can opening mechanism carried by said housing and driven by said motor, a handle on said housing for lifting it and having a generally horizontally extending portion to be gripped by a user, said horizontal portion of the handle containing a recess extending generally horizontally thereinto, a mounting bracket attachable to a support and having a generally horizontal projection insertible into and shaped essentially in correspondence with said recess in the handle to removably mount said housing to the bracket.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

